Grand Floridian Cafe Dinner Review

[mmbrad02]

DH and I just returned from WDW using the dining plan. Our TS's included: Tony's (Lunch), Grand Floridian Cafe (Dinner), Chef Mickey's (Breakfast), Le Cellier (Dinner), and Mama Melrose (Fantasmic Package). I'm going to try to do one review at a time.

Grand Floridian Cafe (July 18, Dinner)

Our dinner reservations were for 7:20pm, and we arrived around 7:10pm. I must say, the Grand Floridian is beautiful! The lobby was gorgeous to say the least. The restaurant was very nice and we were seated by a window with a nice view. The gentleman who seated us placed us side by side rather than across from each other, kind of romantic (I think it just embaressed DH!).

Our server was nice, but had a witty sense of humor that I was caught off guard by. For our appetizers, we both chose the chicken noodle soup and she also brought us a basket of bread. We were not impressed by the bread, and I picked the raisins out and put them on my soup plate. That, got our server making comments The soup was okay, but nothing special. For our dinner, we both chose the New York Strip, which came with red bliss mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. We both ordered them well done, and I asked for green beans instead of the vegetables. DH's steak was far from well done, he said it even seemed kind of cold, but he ate most of it. Neither of us thought the steaks had much flavor. I didn't care much for the green beans, too tough (just not the type I'm used to) and DH didn't care much for his veggies. The potatoes were good though.

For dessert, we got to chose two of the miniature desserts or the chocolate fondue. DH chose the chocolate hazelnut mousse cake and the lemon cheesecake. I chose the key lime pie and the lemon cheese cake. The lemon cheesecake was wonderful, I liked the chocolate mouse but DH didn't care much for it, and the key lime pie was okay.

Overall, we didn't really like this place much for dinner, but we wouldn't be opposed to trying it again sometime for breakfast or lunch. It may have just been the items we chose, but for us this probably will not be a keeper since there are so many other restaurants to try.

 

[brando5111]

Sorry -

But I cannot commiserate with someone who would actually eat a "well-done" steak. I suspect your servers felt the same and gave you (not as you should deserve)-bad service....

Just my opinion...

Brando (Rare steak lover!!! = the whole family!!)...

 

[magicmouse2]

Everyone has there like and dislikes. I was unfair to the OP to criticize their choice of well-done steaks. Thanks for review OP Maybe try it for lunch next time.

My DS likes his steak so well done I consider it burned!

I am not sure how it goes at WDW for steaks. I like mine pink in the middle but not red and bloody - would this be medium or medium-well ?

 

[Minniespal]

Thanx for posting.

 

[HACAM]

Now I am worried, we have reservations here for dinner during our September trip...I am hoping we have good food and good service.

Anyone else have any comments on this restaurant????

 

[mmbrad02]

I haven't had a chance to post our Le Cellier review, but we also ordered well done steaks there and they were WONDERFUL! So I do think they can do it, it just wasn't done correctly at GFC.

Everyone else may have wonderful service, it might have just been an off night for us.

 

[littleladykaty]

I personally don't know how anyone can eat red meat anything other than well done...my father in law to be is a meat inspector for the government and y'all just don't even want to know how gross it truly is to eat meat that is still red...not to mention dangerous...but to each his own. It's your health to gamble with.

To suggest that the OP got bad service b/c her choice of meat temp is absurd. Of all the things to be a snob about...

 

[cmd0819]

We just returned from a Disney trip where we used the dining plan. We liked the Grand Floridian Cafe so much we canceled one reservation to eat there again!

We also ate at the Kona Cafe which we both found good, but was our least favorite of four resturants; Le Celier was very good, but the service was just okay. Our waitress was working a double shift though so I'm sure she was just plain tired.

Captain Jacks was also good. A really nice view of Downtown Disney.

 

[heatherlynn444]

I have eaten at the GF cafe for breakfast and lunch, and both were awesome. maybe just a bad night or bad menu items? try it again though, maybe for breakfast or lunch, its ssooo good!

 

[treehugger]

Our breakfast at the GFC was great but I was also unimpressed with dinner.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Thanks for the review. Sorry it wasn't stellar.

 

[clombardi]

Now I am worried, we have reservations here for dinner during our September trip...I am hoping we have good food and good service.

Anyone else have any comments on this restaurant????

We were not thrilled with GFC either. A great alternative, though different atmosphere, is Concourse Steakhouse at the Contemporary. Excellent food.

 

[Disney owl]

Thanks for sharing

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I personally don't know how anyone can eat red meat anything other than well done...my father in law to be is a meat inspector for the government and y'all just don't even want to know how gross it truly is to eat meat that is still red..

There is a big difference between a cut of meat that is red and one that is well done. Medium is perfectly healthy to eat and much more likely to be tender and a good piece of meat than well done. Sure a tender well done steak is possible, but it is not easy and not as flavorful as one that is cooked for a shorter period.

 

[dawgfan]

Thanks for sharing your review with us.

 

[ufgator]

Thanks for your review.

 

[littleladykaty]

There is a big difference between a cut of meat that is red and one that is well done. Medium is perfectly healthy to eat and much more likely to be tender and a good piece of meat than well done. Sure a tender well done steak is possible, but it is not easy and not as flavorful as one that is cooked for a shorter period.

It has NOTIHNG to do with being tender and flavorful and everything to do with dying a slow and painful death after eating meat that is not fully cooked. I'm telling you...eating meat that is not 100% cooked all the way through is dangerous. Allowing your kids to do so is criminal. Meat that is pink is not fully cooked. If a government meat inspector won't touch meat that is even slightly pink, then I won't either. I'm sure it IS better tasting, but it's just not safe. If you choose flavorful and tender over risking a horrifying disease, then more power to ya. Granted, the chance of contracting a disease from "tender and flavorful" steak is not very high, but even a small chance is too high for me. I just don't think people know what they are risking. Maybe it's too bad for me that my FIL is so informative...but the man knows his stuff. I'm not going to question him.

I'm not trying to flame people who like their steaks cooked a certain way. I'm just saying that it isn't safe...take it or leave it. Just trying to be informative.

Eat with caution...good luck...

 

[jade1]

We were really disapointed in the NY Strips here as well 3 nights ago. Everything else was really good a nice dinner overall, but we had med rare and it just was not very good (tough, grisle etc). $276 for 5 of us (thanks to the DP I didnt jump off the bridge on the way home to VWL). France tenderloin last night was much better.

 

[disnut1149]

There is a big difference between a cut of meat that is red and one that is well done. Medium is perfectly healthy to eat and much more likely to be tender and a good piece of meat than well done. Sure a tender well done steak is possible, but it is not easy and not as flavorful as one that is cooked for a shorter period.

Hi
Meat should be cooked really well. A few years ago, the Dept. of Agriculture passed a law saying that meat that was not safe for consumption, can now be sold. This includes cows that have cancer, eye diseases and many other conditions. The downer cows that are so sick that they can't stand up, are also sold for human consumption. I emailed my local news station about this (I had all the literature at that time), but they didn't say anything about it on the news. I guess they didn't want people to panic. I'm a vegetarian, but my DH and DS eat meat, so I cook it really well for them.